New Powers, New Responsibility
by HoldMe07
Summary: Based AFTER X-Men: The Last Stand. What if Rogue held onto someone longer than she should?
1. Going through the basics lesson 3

X-Men 

**New Powers, New Responsibility**

Three graves. Three lives. Three mentors.

Scott Summers, Jean Grey and Charles Xavier had each given something to the _Charles Xavier's School For The Gifted. _All three of them were there for someone when a problem arose, be it personal or just to get something off their chest.

Marie D'Ancanto, or Rogue as she was known to her friends, placed a rose each on the base of their graves.

" You know," said Rogue in her Southern Belle accent. " There was a time when I was ready to run away from this place..." She turned to Xavier's grave. " 'Cause I thought you were mad at me for using my ability on Logan."

Rogue shivered. She remembered what had led to that. Logan had been muttering and mumbling in his sleep. Rogue had entered his room to check if he was all right. After a few minutes of being in his room, Logan had suddenly roared and lunged at Rogue with his claws out. The claws had gone through her.

After life started to leave her body, Rogue had done what only choice there was. Removing her glove, Rogue reached out for Logan's cheek and, upon contact, her ability kicked in.

You see, Rogue has the ability to absorb the memories and skills of humans and the mutant abilities of mutants. However, if she holds on for too long, she kills them.

She held onto Logan until the scars and wounds disappeared. However, the students had heard Logan's calls for help – for Rogue, not himself – and had got a witness account of Rogue's ability...along with Storm and Cyclops.

At Lunch that following day, Bobby had came up to Rogue and had told her to leave. It wasn't until later that people had found out that a shape-shifter was on the premises.

A breeze came from nowhere. But Rogue knew where it had **really **came from. She placed her gloved hand on the hand of Ororo Munroe, who was also known as Storm.

" Everything OK?"

Rogue nodded, kissed her gloved fingertips and placed it on each of the graves. She looked at Ororo and, as if Xavier had sent a little power to her, she knew what Ororo was going to say next.

" It's time."

**Danger-Room. 14:45PM. **

Along with Logan, Storm watched as Rogue limbered herself up for the task ahead. Already, the one-to-one sessions had got Rogue through three out of the seven areas. But Logan was still concerned.

" I know she's gone through this a few times, Storm, I was just wonderin' if you were sure that she's ready for this one."

" Listen, Logan, what happened to Rogue was tough for her and I just want her to get settled into her new powers. Believe me, I know what it's like to..."

" Alright!" Growled Logan, a little louder than he would have liked. " Just don't go **too **hard on her."

Storm directed her attention to Rogue and called across to her.

" Are you ready for this, Rogue? I'll just warn you again..."

" D'ya have to? That takes all the fun out."

Logan smiled at this remark. Jean had said that, after the Statue of Liberty incident, Rogue had briefly taken some of his qualities. That incident is how Rogue had aqquired that cute white streak in her brown hair.

However, that was **nothing **compared to what had happened to Rogue...recently.

The lights dimmed and the steel area was replaced by a virtual simulation of a random location. Rogue found herself rising in the air, above Logan and Storm, on the roof of a building with the letters D-A-I-L-Y and a big steel instrument, followed by B-U-G-L-E. Every now and then, she saw strands of webbing hanging from gaps.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, an inhuman black figure swung in and knocked her off the building.

" Rogue!" Shouted Logan, reflectivly.

However, instead of hurting herself on the ground, a new area of her brain kicked in and Rogue found herself defying gravity and flew through an alleyway and knocked the figure off the building, watching it vanish, just as it reached the ground.

Rogue stood on the building, just as it started to retract back into the ground. The surroundings dissolved back into the steel area of the Danger Room. She almost laughed as she saw Logan's face – not totally believing what he had seen – but cleared her throat and stood in front of both of them, wating for their results.

" Very impressive, Rogue." Knowing Logan hadn't entirely got the use of his voice yet, Storm directed her attention to him. " Don't you think Rogue's done well, Logan?"

Logan opened and closed his mouth for a comment, which wouldn't come out. Instead, he just patted Rogue on the back and carefully brushed her hair from her face.

Storm looked up to the invisible control-room and told Warren – AKA Angel – to activate the next simulation.

" Now, this simulation will test your strengths." Storm gave Rogue a smile. " I know you can wing this one."

Rogue smiled at the kind words and jumped onto the platform, which rose upon Storm's command to Warren. The surroundings changed into an almost destroyed version of a street in New York with blown out windows and a large chasm, revealing pipes and waterworks. She looked in front of her, thinking she'd see a reasonably good challenge.

However, Storm had other ideas. For three try-outs, Storm had made Rogue face Mystique, Juggernaut (which Rogue had addmited was a tough one) and an ally injected with Stryker Serum, which had been Nightcrawler.

This time, however, Rogue had to face-off against a **huge **robot, which was known to the X-Men as a Sentinel.

Without warning, it brought its foot down, almost before Rogue could take off. But, somehow, she managed to and, like some annoying flying insect, Rogue flew around the automaton and, as it went to swat her, she evaded...straight for the head.

Storm and Logan looked away as sparks shot from it. A loud crash echoed through the room, followed by the body of the Sentinel. They looked around and gave a sigh of relief as Rogue walked on the back of the Sentinel.

" Now, you've done enough, I think." Said Storm. " We'll carry on your training tomorrow, OK?"

Rogue nodded and, extending an arm, invited Logan to loop his through hers.

" Care to escort me to dinner, Logan?"

Logan cleared his throat, smiled at Rogue and wrapped his arm around her. Luckily, she was covered in the X-Men uniform.

" _And I promise you, the fair city of New York, that we'll be free of that web-swinging freak and his gang of super-powered mates outta this town._"

Most of the kids, along with Hank and Storm, were watching Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson berate a certain friend of theirs once more.

" Poor Spidey, eh?" Sighed Rogue. " Although, I don't many people are listenin' to Jonah much anyhow. After all Spidey's done for the city." She counted them off on her gloved fingers. " Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Sandman, Venom, The Lizard and The Shocker."

" Yeah." Agreed Bobby. " What next? A guy who can control electricity? Or a serial killer, who creates carnage wherever he goes?"

" Plus, there's something about a guy in cheery – not to forget patriotic – colors that puts a little..." Rogue looked at Bobby, who was obviously showing worry and jealousy. " Bobby, relax, there's only one guy for me. Besides, there's only one shiver I want down **my **spine and that's..." She dabbed him playfully on the nose. "...you."

After two helpings of tea, thanks to the cooking of Hank – AKA Beast – who had decided to stay on after the unfortunate deaths of Xavier, Scott and Jean, Rogue had spent some time with Bobby before having an early night.

However, her dreams weren't at all peaceful. From the time of the incident to now, Rogue had recieved flashbacks, what-ifs and nightmares.


	2. That fateful evening

X-Men

**New Powers, New Responsibility**

" Be careful, Rogue!"

Ice-Man managed to call out a warning before activating his ability and stopping a spider-bot from wrapping its power-ebbing rope around him.

Rogue swerved out the way as the head honcho made herself known: Ms. Marvel. In her mind, Marie **wished **this was yet another training simulation...it wasn't.

Really, Ms. Marvel wasn't the real deal behind this. The **real **villain would reveal himself, or herself, soon. But, at the moment, she was all they had.

" Watch where you're going, Skunk-hair." Hissed Ms. Marvel.

" Skunk-hair? Where d'ya get a name like that?" Rogue pulled her white streak. " This happens to be the result of an experiment gone wrong."

" Oh, yeah, **he **told me about you. You have the ability to absorb abilities, skills and memories of humans and mutants. There is no way you're getting near my powers. I spent too much time honing my skills for a southern bell like you to spoil my hard work." She noticed that Rogue was looking at the black jet behind her. " Ooh, lovely set of wheels. Yours?"

Before Rogue could react, Ms. Marvel made her way towards the Blackbird.

Knocking another spider-bot aside, Bobby – AKA Iceman – pulled Rogue's glove off and placed it into his bare flesh.

Rogue broke contact before it caused Bobby serious pain. Still, he was slightly worn out.

" Give 'er hell for me, babe."

Ms. Marvel sat herself inside the pilot seat of the roomy aircraft. She could see Rogue raising her arm up, as if directing her attention.

Ms. Marvel raised an eyebrow and let out an amused 'huh'. She started to flip switches, press buttons and, most importantly, close the main hatch.

" Try getting through that, Roguey-Roo." Smirked Ms. Marvel.

Her smile disappeared as the air around her dropped and the hatch-way started to crytalize. Using her steel arm – courtesy of Colossus - Rogue entered the aircraft.

However, before she could do anything – besides reverting her arm back to its original state – Ms. Marvel had managed to get the Blackbird airborne.

With a steely determination, Rogue headed towards the busy figure in the pilot seat, removing one glove as she did so.

Ms. Marvel first noticed something was wrong when she looked into the windscreen of the jet. The second note of danger was as if all her life, memories and abilities were being sucked out of her being...which they were.

Rogue had also noticed something was **going **wrong. OK, so whenever she touched someone, she absorbed their powers or skills (if they were human). But, this time, she found herself unable to let go, just like that time she had piloted the Blackbird at Alkali Lake. Storm and Cyclops had had to praise her and pat her on the back and help her take her hands off the steering device.

Suddenly, a brief flash of light shone through her thoughts, making her break contact. Both she and Ms. Marvel dropped to the ground.

Each time Rogue absorbs someone, she can access their memories and abilities/ skills. As she woke up, she did what she always did: check for any obvious injuries. There were none, except for a banging headache.

First, she noticed Ms. Marvel. In the scuffle, her black eye-mask had come off. Rogue recognized the face: it was Carol Danvers.

Secondly, she noticed the broken ramp and thought '_Storm's going to kill me'. _It almost looked damaged beyond repair. But she knew a few people back at the mansion that could fix this baby up in no time.

Finally, as she backed away from the comatose body – which was another thing Rogue had the ability to do : check the state of the victim – she failed to remember about the hole, despite thinking about it a few seconds ago. A fresh memory – one from the life of Carol Danvers – came into her mind without a warning. Then again, most of the people Rogue absorbed, purpose or accidental, had their memories going through her mind before she lost their abilities. Anway, she fell but levitated a few feet above the ground.

She could hear three figures running towards her. One of them was Bobby. He touched her hair, which she noted had made her white streak gain a few more strands of hair.

" Bobby, she's still up there." She looked ahead, finally grasping a horrible truth. " She's gone into a coma."

Rogue awoke with a deep breath and looked down at her gloved hands. They were shaking. Taking a few more deep breaths, Rogue moved her hair – which was now slightly wet with sweat – out of her line of vision.

She looked down at the clock.

6:55AM.

Getting dressed into her usual green and white, Rouge wrapped herself up warm n her favourite hooded green coat and walked out of the mansion.

" Going somewhere, Kid?"

Rose turned to see Logan smoking on a cigar. She would've told him that it would kill him one day but, with Logan's regenerative ability, that wasn't possible.

" I was just going to visit an old friend." She looked at him and smiled. " And I would be glad of your company, Logan."

Logan smiled and flicked the cigar away. He nodded towards the garage, which had been renamed 'Scott's Corner'.

After half an hour in the car – with silence dotted here and there with occasional chat – Logan and Rogue made their way to the seventh floor of the hospital.

Rogue sighed as she looked up at the name on the door: 'Jane Doe', a usual name when **no-one **knows your identity.

She turned to Logan, who nodded towards the gift-shop/ waiting area.

" I'm just down there if you need anything, OK?"

Rogue smiled and nodded, thanked Logan before entering the room and sat in the comfy chair next to Carol.

" If it made you feel any better, Carol, I'd give you your life back. But I held on for too long and A) I'm so sorry and B) I've now got your powers...permanently. Just to think, you could-- well, I haven't got to that stage of testing my strength, yet. But, from what I saw when you punch Colossus – and he went through three walls – I was amazed. Hopefully, you'll find away back onto this plane, even if that means me losing these abilities. Take care, Carol Danvers."

Rogue sat with Carol for ten more minutes before deciding it was time and, before leaving, placed a kiss on Carol's head.

As she was turning away, Rogue swore she heard the heart monitor rise a little in pitch. She turned but noticed nothing out of the ordinary so she left, not seeing a pair of red eyes looking at her from a dark area of the room.

Logan noticed Rogue come out of the room. He walked up to her and comforted her.

" You all right?" Before Rogue could answer, Logan sniffed the air and taking Rogue's arm, took her down the corridor towards the stairs. " Let's get outta here. I can feel something **sinister **coming our way."

The End


End file.
